Guri Mayor Shin Donghwa Proposes Expansion of Topyeong 2 District and GTX-B Galmae Station Stop to Central Government

Mayor Shin Donghwa Attends National Policy Briefing
Requests Expansion of Topyeong 2 District from 2.75 to 3.22 Million Square Meters
B/C Ratio of 1.01 When Incorporating Taereung CC Development Demand
Calls for 31.2 Billion Won in Construction Costs to Be Covered by National Funds

Shin Donghwa, mayor of Guri City, proposed to the central government the expansion of the Guri Topyeong 2 Public Housing District and the addition of a GTX-B (Greater Seoul Metropolitan Express Railway Line B) stop at Galmae Station.

Shin Donghwa, mayor of Guri City, is taking a commemorative photo with officials after attending the "9th Local Government Mayors' National Policy Briefing" held at the Blue House State Guesthouse on the 27th. Provided by Guri City

According to Guri City on August 28, Mayor Shin attended the “9th Term Mayors of Cities, Counties, and Districts National Policy Briefing” held at the Government Complex Seoul and the Blue House State Guesthouse on August 27, where he delivered Guri’s key pending issues to the central government.

This national policy briefing was convened to share national policy tasks and gather major issues and proposals from local governments, with the president, prime minister, minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, other central ministry officials, and 187 heads of local governments nationwide in attendance.

As a priority, the city requested that the area of the Guri Topyeong 2 Public Housing District be expanded from the current 2.75 million square meters to 3.22 million square meters. The aim is to incorporate the eastern residual green belt area excluded at the time of the district designation in December last year, thus enabling integrated urban development and securing land for self-sustaining facilities needed for a meta-digital hub and for placing environmental facilities underground.

The city also called for Galmae Station to be added as a stop on the GTX-B line. Taking into account increased traffic demand from the development of Taereung Country Club (Taereung CC), the city explained that the benefit-to-cost ratio (B/C) of adding a stop at Galmae Station would be 1.01, making it economically viable. Accordingly, the city requested a revalidation of the feasibility at the stage when Taereung CC’s district designation is scheduled for March 2027, and inclusion of the stop in the metropolitan transportation improvement plan.

The city also raised the issue that, despite Guri not having any GTX-B stations, it is still responsible for approximately 31.2 billion won in metropolitan rail construction costs. Guri City proposed that, for the sake of fairness among local governments, the full contribution should either be covered by national funds or Guri should be excluded from cost-sharing altogether.

Additionally, the city emphasized that the aboveground track connection works for the Gyeongui–Jungang Line and Gyeongchun Line are causing noise, vibration, and other residential environmental damages in the areas of Galmae-dong and Inchang-dong. Guri again called for its construction cost contributions to be fully covered by national funds or for the city to be exempted from cost-sharing, considering inter-municipal equity.

Mayor Shin Donghwa stated, “This policy briefing was an important opportunity for the central government to clearly understand the justification for the successful development of the Topyeong 2 District, which will determine Guri’s centennial future, and the necessity of adding a GTX-B stop at Galmae Station.” He added, “We will closely cooperate with relevant ministries so that Guri can develop into a fully self-sustaining city and our citizens’ legitimate right to traffic mobility is guaranteed.”

He continued, “We will mobilize all our administrative resources to ensure that these key proposals are reflected in government policies and budgets, and realize ‘Bold Challenge, Brilliant Guri.’”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.